Time Will Tell
by Centuri Eagle
Summary: Vixen finds out about John and Shayera's future son, Rex.


This story was my is a response I submitted to a Valentine's Day story challenge a couple of years ago where someone requested a particular story be done. The requested scenario was Vixen finding out about John and Shayera's future son, Rex.

Author's Note: Much thanks to Athena Phoenix for allowing elements of the story Cold Confessions to be used in this fic.

* * *

Time Will Tell

by Centuri Eagle

The Watchtower's hologramatic combat simulation room was in full use. Three superheroes stalked in a modified wedge formation along a 'typical' urban street. In the lead Shayera Hol, formerly known as Hawkgirl, kept her head on a consistent swivel, ever-ready for action. Behind her and covering her flanks trailed Superman's 'cousin' Kara In-Ze (aka Supergirl) on the left, and on the right still farther back trailed Virgil Hawkins, known as Static. In the observation booth of the simulation suite sat Vixen, controlling the scenario.

"Run the ambush, Vixen," Shayera said softly into her earmike set to a supervisory frequency.

Vixen flipped a few switches and waited for the show to begin.

As the trio of combatants approached a trash bin in an alley Supergirl became more wary. Her eyes scanned quickly and she threw up a fist in caution. Shayera caught the gesture out of the corner of her peripheral vision and dutifully paused her progress.

"What's up, Kara?" Virgil asked cautiously.

"In the trash bin," Kara indicated with her finger. "An object. Lead covered. I think I'm picking up a faint ticking."

Static, serving as team leader for this simulation knew he had to do something quick. He reached out his hand and a violet crackle of dancing electricity shot forth and enveloped the trash bin pushing it back. Before the rolling dumpster went too far it suddenly exploded Simultaneously six training robots emerged from the ground, three to either side of the street. With mutual precision Virgil projected a persistent stream of lightning that destroyed the three robots across the street from him while Supergirl fried the three robots on Static's side of the lane with twin beams of heat vision.

When the commotion ended and the simulated smoke cleared Virgil pointed at his eyes and pointed down the street. Kara scanned forward with her xray vision and then gave him the thumbs up sign. Virgil took a deep breath and motioned for Shayera to resume taking the point position along the route. Shayera started to walk on but suddenly stopped when she caught a quick casual motion out of the corner of her eye.

"Halt scenario!" Shayera shouted. As the projected city terrain dissolved around them Shayera stomped back towards Static and asked him, "What are you doing!"

"Umm…nothing," Virgil gulped.

"Supergirl!" Shayera beckoned. Kara was instantly at her side.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"What are you teaching League candidate Static?"

"Nothing…I…I mean everything," Kara stammered. "I mean…I have coached him through the training…"

"Vixen," Shayera cut her off. "Re-run last twenty seconds. Focus on him!"

In the control booth Vixen's fingers nimbly responded to Shayera's request. Mari would have felt sorry for Static and Kara, but she was happy enough to be out of range of Shayera's fury herself…and besides she had a date with John tonight…the first in a long while. It was a great relief that he had requested the date with her. She had come to fear that the Green Lanern of the Justice League was slipping away from her, but now with this opening tonight she could ply her feminine wiles and reaffirm their relationship.

"Here ya go, Shay," Vixen chirped.

The trio on the simulation floor watched as 3-D images of themselves walked along alertly, but a few seconds into the display Virgil's life size form quickly glanced at his watch and then resumed his scan of the territory in front of him.

"Doh!" came from Virgil as he slapped himself in the head.

"Oh man," groaned Kara. She couldn't believe Shayera had actually caught that. What eyes she must have.

"So," Shayera began as she turned to glare at the other two. She began to cross her arms over her chest, but as her arms compressed around her upper torso she winced in pain and was forced to let her arms drop to her side. Mari took silent note of this from the monitors in the control booth. Maybe an injury was why Shayera had become a noticeably more irritable and terse.

"So," Shayera began again. "Did you teach him that?"

"Umm…no." Kara confessed, but searched her mind for the right words to say. "That is to say…we have gone over proper mission discipline and…"

"You," Shayera pointed a stern finger at Static Shock. "WILL pay attention. You WILL NOT be a clock watcher. And you both," she turned to Supergirl, "WILL stick to…" Shayera stopped short and sniffed the air near Static.

"What is that?" she asked with a pained expression on her face.

Static tried to discretely sniff himself for body odor. Relieved not to have detected anything amiss, he sheepishly shrugged. Shayera reached down into a pouch belted to his waist and pulled out half a sandwich in a clear plastic wrap.

"What is this!" Shayera roared.

Virgil looked plaintively over to Kara who just rolled her eyes and shook her head. He shrugged again.

"Baloney?" Static suggested lamely.

Shayera was beyond mere annoyance at this point. She was inadvertently squishing Static's sandwich in her hand as she looked to the heavens for strength.

"And is unauthorized food allowed in the combat training area?" she screamed rhetorically.

"No ma'am." Static and Kara chimed in together. Shayera handed him back his meal, but when she brought her hand back she caught a whiff of some of the ingredients that had been deposited on her hand when she squashed it. An overwhelming wave of nausea swept over Shayera with that one smell. She clutched her stomach and then covered her mouth to hold back the inevitable.

"Ooooo God," Shayera cried as she stumbled to the entrance of the simulation suite. "Be back…carry on!" With that she made a bee-line streak in the direction of the nearest lavatory.

"What's with her?" asked a frustrated Supergirl.

"I don't know," Virgil replied as he regarded his crushed sandwich. "Maybe Thanagarians are allergic to baloney or something. Makes them cranky"

If the sentiment on the floor of the simulation suite was confusion, up in the control booth the mood was sheer adulation.

"Wooohooo!" Vixen cheered within the room. She could not believe what she had just seen on the observation monitors. "Oh my God, she's pregnant! I don't believe it! Ha-Ha!" Suddenly for Mari all her red lights had just turned green. Everything had just turned around. She pumped her fist in victory.

When she managed to compose herself Vixen came down to the simulation floor.

"Hey guys!" she greeted the two junior superheroes. "I think we can stop now. I, for one, have seen enough. You did great. Don't worry, Static. I'm sure you will be approved." She playfully tussled Static's dread-locked head.

"You think so?" asked Virgil hopefully. "That's great. I thought for sure she was going to fail me for that whole watch thing."

"Naw," Vixen smiled at the both of them. "You can't get washed out for that. You've done great training him, Kara. Crossing your fields of fire was great, a little complicated for new-jacks, but you two pulled it off excellently." Kara gave Static a quick victorious high-five.

"Thank you, Vixen!" Kara was also beginning to feel better thanks to Mari's infectious exuberance. "Oh. What about Shayera?"

"Don't worry. I'll explain my evaluation to her, based on my observations and your score on the simulation. Which was excellent by the way. I don't think she is feeling too good today." …and won't be over it for about nine months, Mari noted to herself with a smile.

Supergirl and Static left the simulation suite and Shayera only returned five minutes later looking a little pale and ashen, but still better than when she left. Shayera looked around the empty space of the open bay room and was puzzled by the absence of Kara and Virgil and the presence of Vixen on the floor leaning against a wall and smiling broadly at her.

"I let them go," Mari explained before Shayera could ask. She approached Shayera gracefully. "Static had scored more than enough to pass the scenario."

"Oh." Shayera was becoming more and more perplexed by Vixen's unprovoked smiling at her like she was extremely glad to see her. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing at all," said Mari barely able to contain herself. She finally gave in and embraced Shayera in a gentle but full hug. "I just wanted to be the first to say…congratulations."

"Congratulations?" asked Shayera when Vixen finally released her hold. Mari still held both of her hands in hers.

"Yes. Congratulations on your…being with child."

Shayera was instantly taken aback and couldn't say anything. She briefly considered denying it. She tightened her lips and clenched her fists, but then relaxed a little.

"He told you, already?" Shayera asked with more than a little surprise.

"Who? Carter? Nope. Wasn't him," said Vixen. "It was just obvious."

Shayera's surprise turned to a definite sinking feeling. This was real trouble.

"I mean you're irritable. You're nauseous. Your breasts are sore," Mari explained. "I only now just put it all together and…oh I'm so happy for you."

Mari couldn't resist hugging Shayera again, to which Shayera half halfheartedly returned. When she freed Shayera again Mari spoke again in full exuberance.

"I do belive you are glowing, girl!" Mari laughed. Shayera, for a second, got caught up in the infectious cheerfulness being expressed. It felt good. However, the reality of the situation quickly brought her back down to earth. Shayera pulled her hands back from Vixen's and stared at her silently, desperately trying to think of some way to tell her.

"What's a matter, Shay?" Vixen asked with genuine concern. Shayera's unease was obvious and it was not a part of the 'normal' irritability. Is there a problem with the pregnancy? Mari wondered. That would be awful. Poor Shayera.

"Is it going okay?" Vixen asked rapid fire. "There aren't any complications are there?"

"Oh, no. It's all looking quite good and normal." Shayera smiled to reassure Mari. It was nice that she was so concerned, but it was not making it any easier. Shayera sighed.

"Oh thank God," Vixen said with sincere relief. "What's the matter then? I know it can't be Carter. That man is absolutely crazy about you, girl. I know he must be ecstatic!"

"Well, actually, he doesn't know…about this," Shayera confessed.

"Oh?" Vixen contemplated that for a second. She could not believe for a second that Shayera was afraid of Carter's reaction to the idea of her having his child. She had not considered until now that maybe Shayera did not wish to be pregnant.

"You're not happy?" Vixen asked with increasing timidity. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to pry."

"It's okay, Mari," Shayera reassured her once again. She smiled softly as she ran a hand over her still tight abdomen. Vixen, for her part, could not see the early signs of changes in Shayera's form but noted the way she touched herself and was certain that Shayera 'felt' the something that was 'there'.

"I am very happy," Shayera sighed contentedly. "…even if it is unexpected…in a way."

"Huh?"

Shayera resigned herself to her fate in this matter.

"Mari, can I talk to you?"

"Sure, Shayera, sure. You can tell me anything." They walked outside and down to a small lounge area. They sat across from each other in two seats in front of a window that overlooked the earth.

Shayera focused on the beautiful globe slowly rotating below them. After another heavy sigh she began.

"I don't know if you remember that mission I went out with Batman on about a month ago. The one where we got stranded on that ice planet?"

"Oh yeah sure," Vixen recalled. "Someone had to go out and rescue you two, right?"

"Yes," Shayera acknowledged. "It was John."

"Really? He never talked about it, but I'll grill him about it tonight. We have a date," Vixen spoke matter-of-factly.

"I know," acknowledged Shayera.

"Oh," Vixen said with a slightly embarassed smile.

"Anyhow…things got quite desperate down there…on that planet…and me and Batman…"

"Oooooh!" Vixen interjected standing up suddenly. Her eyes wide open with delight. She found herself clutching Shayera's hands again. "I knew it! You're having, Batman's baby!"

"Vixen!" Shayera looked around. Mari covered her mouth.

"Oh, I'm sorry, girl!" Vixen tried to conceal her obvious delight at being entrusted with such juicy gossip.

"Look, Mari. It's not like that at all." Shayera pulled Vixen back down to her seat. She decided she had better get into the heart of the story before Mari jumped to anymore conclusions. "The temperature on that planet kept dropping and Batman was rapidly fading in the subzero climate. So to keep him awake…"

"Yeah-yeah…go on," Mari encouraged with rapt attention. She sat on the edge of her seat leaning into Shayera so as not to miss a morsel of the details.

"I made him talk to stay conscious and he let slip the details of a mission that John and him had recently been on." Shayera shifted around to look carefully into Vixen's eyes. "Do you remember a few months ago when John had a wound on his head? Did he ever tell you about that?"

"Yes. Well…no," Vixen admitted. "He said something about a mission, but not much else. Yeah, he seemed particulary reticent to speak about it."

"Apparently," Shayera continued. "That abrasion was the result of a battle that took place when he and Batman were transported into the future in pursuit of some time travelling thief named Chronos."

"The future!" Mari marveled. "How far?"

"Ummm…about 50 years I think," Shayera calculated. "Anyhow they met the Justice League of the future…and among them was…my son."

"Wow! Really?" Vixen was excited like a discoverer of a new world. "That's incredible. That's amazing. Was he like you? I mean did he have wings? Or was he like Batman? I mean like a human? Oh you know what I mean. Was he Hawkbat? Bathawk? What did Batman do? Come on! Tell me…tell me!"

"Batman is not his father, Mari!" Shayera said with angry finality.

"Okay. Okay. So, tell me about your son. Who is he?" Vixen was easily slipping into the role of supportive friend.

"Well…he's called…will be called 'Warhawk'," Shayera said with obvious parental pride. Then with a deep breath she continued on with equal pride but with a degree more solemnity, "He called John 'dad'."

"What?" Mari asked, not sure if she was getting the correct message.

"Warhawk's name…his real name…is Rex Stewart." After a brief pause she added: "In the future we have a son together."

"Are you sure?" Vixen asked incredulously.

"Yes." Shayera sat back in her chair and held both her arms to abdomen. "I'm sure."

"Ohhhh." Vixen was finally getting the full picture. "You're kidding."

Vixen's expression changed with her growing acceptance of what was being implied. Mari's warm joyful visage began to tun into a critical stare. She began to squint at Shayera as if looking her through a blurred lens.

"So you two…"

"I didn't believe it at first," Shayera broke in. "I mean when Batman told me. I thought that just maybe he had entered into delirium…because of the cold."

"Did John verify it?" Mari asked cautiously.

"Well, as I told you, John picked us up…rescued us…"

"Yeah?"

"Look," Shayera deferred. "Maybe it would be better if John…"

"Tell me," Vixen almost growled. She then took a breath and said more calmly, "I'm a big girl. I can take it."

"When I was in the shower of the Javelin…" Shayera tried to continue.

"What are you talking about?" Mari interrupted "What Javelin has a shower?"

"Ours does. I mean Javelin Seven does. The original one."

"Oh." Vixen reminded herself of the existence of the Javelin 7, that sat seldom used, and that only the founding members of the Justice League had access to or could fly. It was rumored to have more power and better equipment than the common-use Javelins. Another advantage of being one of the 'originals'.

"Anyhow, I was trying to warm up...desperately," Shayera related slowly. "But the hypothermia made me so weak that I stumbled and fell in the shower and then John came to check on me…"

Oh you slut! Mari thought to herself with contempt. How convenient.

Shayera had paused after seeing Vixen slightly recoil at her words. She held up her hand to hold up the assumption train that was obviously running through Mari's head.

"All that happened in the shower was that I asked him…" Shayera spoke calmly and evenly. "I asked him if he had seen…if he had met…our son in the future."

Vixen sat stunned as she listen to the Shayera. There was nothing to say as her story unfolded…if it was true.

"At first he didn't say anything," Shayera continued, "He just held me up in the shower… and told me to be more careful." Shayera chuckled at this. Mari remained unamused.

"But after a long while I asked him again, because I just had to know, you see? I had to know. I just had to. So I asked him again and I looked into his eyes long and hard, and then I knew the truth at that moment. I knew…"

"That's it?" Mari blurted out. "You're basing the 'future' on that? So he never actually said…"

"Not in the Javelin. No." Shayera quickly interrupted. "But later in my room he did"

"Okay. Okay. Okay." Vixen held up a hand to stop her. "So you are stating that he actually said that this story about the future is true. That in the future you two have son?"

"Yes. That night and the night after…and the night after that…"

Vixen rolled her eyes violently.

"…I made him recount the story many times. And he did, in great detail, every time…until it became quite real to me. He told me everything he saw, about the battle they fought, about the time chase that took place, and most of he told me all about our son and how proud he was of him. He talked about the way he looked. The way he talked. The way he fought….the color of his eyes…"

Vixen had enough. She stood up briskly and extended her hand.

"I guess congratulations are in order, Shayera Hol," she said cooly. "You win."

Shayera stood up and took Mari's hand.

"Thank you," she said graciously. "But I never intended for this to…"

"Oh please…" Vixen said cynically. "When you said 'en garde' to me after that mission I should have known you would stop at nothing. And…" Mari gestured at Shayera's abdomen. "You really went for the 'gold', didn't you girl?"

Shayera sighed wistfully.

"It wasn't like that at all, Vixen. Ironically I had, just before that, decided to let John go because I thought his better destiny…lay with you. I thought he would be happier."

"Not now!" said Mari unsympathetically. "You made sure of that."

"What was I supposed to do? Tell him he was wrong? I told you, already. I could see it in his eyes. He lived it. He believed it. As if…as if it had already happened."

"You could have fought it!" Mari shouted. "Like you said. You KNEW his 'better' destiny lay with me!"

"I 'thought' that. Now…THAT destiny is in the past." Shayera tried to be conciliatory now. "Mari, what would you have done? I mean if you were me?"

"I would have said NO!" Mari said through clenched teeth. "Do you know why?"

"Why?" Shayera knew she would regret it asking.

"Because he belongs with a human woman," Vixen said pointedly. "Not with a 'filthy hawk'."

Shayera brought her fist back ready to strike. Vixen stepped back and clasped the amulet around her neck and prepared to summon an animal avatar.

"Go ahead!" Vixen goaded. "I wish you would attack me. I don't care if you are pregnant. I don't care…"

Mari caught herself when she heard herself preparing to fight a woman who was with child. She was furious, but even at that point, Mari was not that kind of woman. She dropped her hand from her neck.

"You don't belong together," Vixen concluded. "They hate you down there. Oh sure you can save one or two people and they will call you 'Chica Halcon', but everyone else remembers the wings that nearly destroyed their planet. They despise you and your half breed hawk children will fare no better. Tell me something, Hol. Where were you in this future that John saw?" Not waiting for a response Mari continued. "You weren't there, were you? That's what I thought. There's no place for you. You are ruining three destinies"

With that Vixen turned on her heel and walked away.

* * *

Later, John came down the corridor to find Shayera still standing there. She held onto her self while staring out the window, still looking down at the ever rotating earth. He approached her and tried to put his hand on her shoulder with just the right touch not to startle her. She seemed deep in thought.

"Hey," he said congenially. "Is your training day over?"

Shayera had not seemed startled at all by his undetected approach. She seemed almost to expect it. She turned to him and looked up into his eyes.

Although he did not see evidence of tears or anything, he could detect that she was saddened, possibly even worried about something. She stepped forward a bit and nodded her head down until her forehead rested on his broad chest. John, despite his strongest inclinations toward professionalism and military decorum, reached out and wrapped his arms around her.

"What's the matter?" he asked, modulating his deep timbre of his voice to sound as soothing as possible. Shayera brought her head up to look into his eyes. She looked to see if she could see her destiny with him reflected in his luminescent green irises. Her and him together…and their child too. It felt better to look.

"Nothing," she finally responded to his inquiry. "Nothing. I…I just want to go back to my room now. Will you come with me?"

"Sure, honey," he agreed willingly, glad to see there was something he could do to make her feel better. She took him by the hand and led him down the hallway.

"Oh," he remembered suddenly. "You know I have that 'thing' with Vixen tonight."

"I know." She looked at him steadily, not saying anything more or demanding anything. He returned her gaze with the eyes of a protective lover.

"But I guess she will have to wait," he concluded with a playful smile. He let her continue to lead him along the passageways. "So what did you have in mind?"

"Nothing," she said serenely. "I just want to relax in your arms…and I want you to tell me about the future…again."


End file.
